Mistaken Consequences

Chapter 19: Thirty-eight weeks

Vera strode into the Temple for the first time in a full week – although strode might have been too loose a word. She felt so big these days, and so uncomfortable, she knew she was waddling more than walking. Thankfully, Philip had fully taken over the day-to-day duties of the Temple weeks ago and so she rarely had to drag herself out of her house.

It had felt strange at first, not being at the Temple on a daily basis. She couldn't remember the last time she'd gone a full week away, at least not without spending that week doing something Order-related elsewhere. But she was done here. She was only the Grand Magus now and that gave her the freedom to come and go as she pleased, and with the Temple in good hands, she had chosen to go.

Although she still technically had nearly two weeks until her due date, she knew her daughter could come at any time now. She'd been using her extra free time to prepare. The nursery was complete. The walls were painted. The furniture was set up. The bedding had been washed...and admittedly rewashed...twice. The closet was filled with tiny baby girl clothes and Vera had been filling up the little bookshelf herself.

All that was left to do was finish washing the last of Violet's things...

But first, she had the Order to see to.

Philip was waiting in the reliquary for her and he pushed himself out of her chair when he noticed her. He hadn't changed a single thing, despite her assurances that she didn't mind. The Temple wasn't hers anymore.

"Vera, you're looking wonderful," he greeted her, as he did every time he saw her.

"It's sweet of you to keep lying for my sake," she said, leaning in for him to give her a quick peck on the cheek.

He smiled sadly. "You need somebody to remind you. And to show you that this," he gently rested a hand over her belly, "is beautiful."

Vera gave him a small, sad smile. "That's not a quality I've ever been good at choosing in a man."

And sure, she would have like just once for one of her daughters' fathers to look at her like Philip described, with that simple wonder of seeing her carrying his child. But for that, she'd have needed someone who actually loved her. Not a high school boyfriend with a childlike idea of love and hormones that pushed him to say things he didn't yet understand. And definitely not somebody who'd only been interested in her for revenge.

Philip heaved a sigh. "I wish I could slap some sense into that boy."

"You won't," Vera said.

"No," he agreed. "Well, let's go have a look and see if we can finally put this particular mess behind us."

"Thank you for doing this."

"I really did very little. I just threw out some ideas and your dogs did the rest."

Vera rolled her eyes. "Don't let them catch you calling them that," she warned, though she expected Philip could handle the Knights just fine. He certainly seemed to be doing better than she had at the start.

Together, they walked down to the vault. Philip tapped his cane against the floor and the doors opened, revealing a full, and disorderly, chamber.

Still, she let out a relieved sigh as she walked in, gently trailing her hand along the nearest artifacts, many of which she hadn't seen in over eight months.

"Alyssa will be arriving in an hour or so to help me begin cataloguing the inventory."

"Thank you," she said again.